Review: Kalamazoo Stout, Bell's Brewery

Description:"Kalamazoo Stout represents stouts in the Bell's year-round roster, offering a blend of dark chocolate and coffee flavors with just a hint of brewer's licorice. One of our oldest recipes, it balances a significant hop presence against the roast malt body." — Bell's Brewery, Inc.

Random thoughts: Kalamazoo Stout is part of my Stout Month series. It's also the Bell's beer I've ever tasted. According to the Brewers Association, Bell's was the 8th largest US craft brewery in 2011. They don't distribute in Oregon. I picked up this bottle during a trip to Arizona.

The tasting: Black in color with a dark tan head that dissipates fairly slowly leaving a ring of foam around the edge of the glass. Aroma of roasted malt, coffee, and vanilla. Flavor of roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, and a touch of black licorice. It has a light malt sweetness, little hop aroma or bitterness, and the alcohol is not noticeable in aroma or flavor. Kalamazoo Stout is medium bodied, has prickly carbonation, and finishes with roasted malt and light licorice.

Rating: 4 star. Really Good! I want this again! I thoroughly enjoyed my first Bell's brew. I'm not a huge fan of licorice, but it blends perfectly with the other flavors in this stout. Now I need to go find some more Bell's...